Big Island cooperative aims to grow specialty tea in Hawaii

The Hawaii Medicinal Tea and Herb Cooperative is seeking up to $500,000 in investments for a 5-acre (2-hectare) tea plot in Mountain View. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports the cooperative hopes to cultivate 100 acres (40 hectares) of tea in 10 years.

The cooperative on Thursday showed investors tea growing at Akatsuka Orchid Gardens. Tea industry consultant Nigel Melican says a 3.5-acre (1.4-hectare) field planted in July is maturing faster than he could believe.

Melican is confident the price of Hawaii-grown tea will easily top $100 per pound.

Visiting New York tea producer Jeni Dodd says some of her most preferred teas are those raised on rocky soils, so she's confident Hawaii-grown tea will have a flavor worth tasting.